1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to the field of firearms wherein the caliber of a firearm is desired to be changed. For example, a higher-caliber pistol with a slide and barrel assembly may be adapted to shoot lower-caliber ammunition by replacement of the slide and barrel assembly. This way, for example, a typically lower-priced, lower-caliber ammunition may be substituted for the higher-priced, higher-caliber ammunition for shooting practice purposes.
2. Related Art
U.S. Pat. No. 6,571,501 (Jennings) discloses a semi-automatic pistol caliber conversion kit wherein the slide and barrel assembly for a lower-caliber ammunition is substituted for a higher-caliber ammunition slide and barrel. In Jennings, the substitute slide housing is composed of aluminum, and a steel insert is secured to the substitute aluminum slide housing to reinforce the point on the slide where the substantial additional forces of the “last round left open” latch feature of the pistol are applied. In addition, the barrel of the pistol in Jennings is of steel, so that the barrel may be artfully and carefully machined to maintain strength and still reduce weight, again in the crucial “last round left open” latch feature region of the pistol.